On Friday, on the eve of IPL's opening encounter between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants here at the Wankhede, off-spinner Ashwin reckoned a journalist hadn't phrased his question right.
Lately, Indian cricketers are coming up with unique ways to answer questions in press conferences. And Ravichandran Ashwin is the latest addition.
Not too long ago, India captain MS Dhoni taunted mediapersons, saying they get away by asking anything because there is freedom of expression in India. Then, Captain Cool had "some fun" with an Australian journalist when he was asked about his international future after the World T20. Suresh Raina turned a question about coaches into marital choice, asking a scribe whether he was more comfortable with his wife or someone else's.
On Friday, on the eve of IPL's opening encounter between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants here at the Wankhede, off-spinner Ashwin reckoned a journalist hadn't phrased his question right.
A reporter asked Ashwin about his struggle while bowling against the West Indies in the World T20 semifinal at the same venue owing to dew. However, instead of answering, Ashwin shot back with another question.
"Do you mean with the ball?" Ashwin said, to which the journalist replied in the affirmative.
"When there was dew, I didn't bowl," the offie went on. "It's better you ask the question to someone who actually bowled. To be very honest, I don't know how it felt with the dew on.
"It's very amusing, because in the first 12 balls that I bowled, I created a wicket opportunity as well. It's quite surprising how you phrase your question," he added.
Ashwin, who was only given two overs in the match by Dhoni, was then told that the skipper had given dew as the reason for under-bowling his premier off-spinner.
"I don't know what he said," Ashwin said, before the media manager intervened and asked journalists to stick to questions related to the IPL.
However, it didn't end there. Ashwin, a B-Tech graduate in Information Techonology, confronted the journalist after the conclusion of the press conference.
"Which paper are you from? You know I only bowled two overs in that game. You should have phrased your question better. I'm not blaming you, but you shape the opinion of millions. So you should be responsible," Ashwin said.
The 29-year-old also gave an intriguing reply when he was reminded about the life he gave to Lendl Simmons by bowling a no ball, which turned out to be a game changer in the semifinal.
"The day I went back home, my dog had a heat stroke. He had fits. It just showed me what's more important and what is very, very important in life. I didn't turn a piece of paper for the next three days. I don't know what has been said. There have been good enough journalists and knowledgeable people who called me and said, 'I haven't bowled a no ball in ages'. To have bowled one no ball, I don't become a villain. If that's the perception, I don't know how to counter that," he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ashwin")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}